OSI Group

Little did Otto Kolschowsky know what his small meat market and butcher shop would become someday. He starts his family business just two weeks of arriving in the Untied States from Europe. He settled in Chicago, Illinois. He worked very hard on his business supplying quality meats to his community. Eventually, the company grew to the point of being able to start wholesaling. With more time, the company grew to the point Otto rebranded his family business. As the decades went by and success grew, his company was offered a deal by Ray Kroc. Ray Kroc made a handshake deal with the son of Otto for his restaurant. Franchising a business was new in the mid twentieth century but Ray Kroc saw a vision. With his vision, he turned the small, local meat market started by an immigrant into the hamburger mega house known today as McDonald’s.

When the OSI Group transformed the original McDonald’s supply chain, the large leading food company knew how to get the hamburger chain to the next level. Many retail businesses and restaurant chains utilize OSI’s strategic practices to transform their companies. The giant food supplier has the capabilities of scaling products and services on a global level for businesses. Having a large presence in supply chain of food, gives this company the ability to give companies affordable prices for quality products and services. The company strives to create the best operations to fulfill companies’ demands, they work to cut food preparation time and only offer food that has met safety standards. They make sure their food satisfies all taste palettes. They offer a large variety of food choices to their customers.

OSI Group has joint ventures with warehouses, farms, processing plants and poultry facilities. With the quality of work OSI Group consistently delivers, the company is surely going to become the top supplier of food globally to branded North American companies. The corporation also works with food business in Europe and throughout the entire world. Australia and Asia are markets the company works in as well.

Otto’s little meat shop has given way to a large supplier of food. OSI Group still remembers its humble beginnings. Just as their founder, the company prides itself on delivering quality and cost effective products as the recipe to their success.

OSI Group is a leading multinational food processing company based out of Aurora, Illinois. With strong heritage of quality and service that coincides positively with their busy location in the Greater Chicago Area, the family-run operation has been providing food solutions for over 100 years, with main specialization in the meat market. They currently work around the world and employ 20,000 employees at 65 facilities across 17 different countries. Their mission is to make a lasting change in globalized economies, and it’s astounding that they started off as a corner butcher shop to a premier global food provider in the United States.

The company originated around the American immigrant experience. German-born immigrants moved to the Chicago area and helped the area turn into a capitalized industry and a place for other immigrants to settle. In 1909, Otto Kolschowsky, opened his first corner shop in Oak Park, located in Chicago. After 10 years, and good business, the shop transferred its operations into wholesale business.

After several decades of successful profits, OSI Group was formed in the early 1980’s where the company turned to growth in the international sector. They became the leading food providers for sectors in the food industry including, McDonald’s. Their series of global joint ventures has earned the group the title as leading provider and ranked on a popular and well-known American economic website.

In their next steps, the company saw the highest profitable country in the global sector as China. The rise of its rapid economy has resulted in an ever-growing food market. Thanks to this globalization, OSI Group partnered with new companies. Upon establishing partnerships, by the 21st century, the company coordinated techniques only a successful company was capable of.

Today, OSI Group continues its operations with major countries such as China and Europe. It employs and believes that sustainability and environmental initiatives in modern food productions are the most powerful strategies to get ahead. This can be seen in their plans to sustain animal treatment and animal products, while being environmentally friendly in the treatment of crops. They have integrated cutting edge technology for their cutting edge retail clients that are highly diversified and receive only quality, value, and streamline processes with good optimized costs.

A Tyson plant in Chicago struggles to keep the factory functioning and many are worried they may be looking for work, As the struggle looms over employees in late 2016, many are worried that Tyson is close to closing its doors. The CEO even reports publicly that the future is not promising for employees but then the OSI Group offered a buy out to save the plant and keep workers employed. Tyson, a well known meat manufacturing facility, was on the breast of losing 480 jobs due to a possible closure when OSI made the move to aquire the company.

Employees Are Not Worried About the Change

An exciting turn for employees close to losing their jobs whom were not only excited to be able to maintain their income, but to find the OSI Group has a very healthy reputation that centers their economic value on its employees. The OSI work force is a diverse sort and the company prides their employees as the heart and soul of the company.

Who is OSI?

With good home town values, OSI has been a moving force for over 100 years. Opening their first company in 1909 and growing to a global supplier in just those short 100 years. Their success is built with tried and true business practices proving it is not always about big business. Although, they are recognized in Forbes magazine as a 6.1 Billion dollar company within the food, drink and tobacco industry. Their healthy history has helped them grow over the years into a valued food processer with ready made products delivered directly to provider in over 17 countries. OSI has 65 facilities and their home base is in Aurora, Illinois.

What’s on the Menu?

Tasty ribbets, taquitos, panini, ice cream to fresh dough. Their vast menu encompasses ready to process meat choices to ready to serve entrees and desserts. OSI makes a claim they are a custom provider as well, so if you do not see it on the menu, just make the call, They not only create custom solutions from processing to kitchen, but take it all the way to the table.

As a global provider, OSI produces a very diverse group of products that covers the entire food prep and dining processes. High food grade standards and popular easy to make food choices, makes them a quick winner in the kitchen.

Sheldon Lavin is a businessman, philanthropist and the Chief Executive Officer of the leading meat manufacturing and packaging food service company OSI Group. The company has its operations based in the State of Illinois Aroura.

Sheldon Lavin’s history with the company is wholly an exciting one starting out as an ordinary person in the company and now owns the firm. Sheldon Lavin started working with OSI Group in the 1960s initially known as Otto & Sons company. The sole owners were Mr. Otto and his sons, and when Sheldon Lavin started participating actively in the operations of the company in the 1970s, it was the most significant supplier of hamburgers for McDonald’s.

However, because of the financial constraints the company was experiencing, it could not live up to deliver on the deal. Sheldon Lavin took over as the principal advisor for the company concerning financial matters. During this period when Sheldon took over, the company experienced exponential growth. Sheldon Lavin was the driving force behind the organization acquiring funds from credited financial institutions.

Sheldon Lavin was a very significant part of the company becoming a leading manufacturer and provider of food services. He helped expand the network for the company and build a more clientele network. Much of the credit goes to him for the company going from supplying their products just in Illinois to other regions such as Philippines, South Africa, Japan, Europe, North America and Australia. In 1975, Mr. Otto retired from business, and Sheldon Lavin partnered with the sons, and the name of the organization was changed to OSI Group. Eventually, Sheldon Lavin acquired the controlling interests of the firm and took charge of the company. He is indeed a unique force in the business of food and meat processing.

His approach to the operations of the company is designed to help the company deliver even in a complex chain of supply. A significant part of the success Sheldon Lavin has achieved is owed to the fact that he is a team player. Sheldon Lavin has seen to it that a collaborative work environment has been created and the company working towards a common goal. Sheldon Lavin is one who does not like to be blindsided, and he ensures that the operations of his company are up to date with the preferences of the consumers, changes in technology and trends in resources. In 2016, Sheldon Lavin received the Global Visionary Award because of his efforts in making OSI Group an international firm.

If you have ever been food shopping ,then you most likely have seen or heard of the major food company “Tyson”. More commonly known for their frozen chicken products and meals. OSI Group is an American owned company leading in product and food development worldwide. They have acquired Tyson food plant for a hefty $7.4 million dollars.

Tyson reported that they had begun shutting down its facilitates in November of this year pass. With hundreds of jobs at stake, and hundreds already lost due to downsizing, OSI Group not only bought and revived the once prosperous Tyson food plant in Chicago ,but it has also been reported by leaders at Tyson company that many (hundreds) of employees have been offered jobs with OSI Group, allowing them to stay employed at the local Chicago food plant.

And OSI Group hasn’t stopped there, they have also acquired another major food company by the name of “Baho Food”. Although not many details about the sale have been made public about the sale, there are reports that OSI Group plans on continuing employment for some of the major players at Baho Food’s. It is safe to assume they will also do the same for Baho foods other long time valuable employees.

Managing director John Balvers at Baho Food has stated that he and his team will work closely with OSI group executives to make new strategies and to ensure continued growth for the now two merged companies. The new addition to OSI Group will strengthen their position in the European food market, given that Baho food already has a strong presence in Europe.

OSI Group has a stake in about 17 countries with over 65 food facilities. They are highly focused on great quality foods that their customers can customize to their specific needs, among several other innovative grocery store product lines. Their goal is to deliver this value to anyone worldwide across the globe. With these two major merges behind them, it is very clear that OSI Group is carefully positioning itself to become the world leader in all things food.

OSI Group has recently announced their acquisition of Baho Food. Baho Foos is a private company from Deutschland who is responsible for the manufacturing of meat products and other food items in the food service and retail industries for the country. The merger control has set its approval in 2016.

Baho Food is a company that has established plants in countries Germany and Netherlands. They have established these plants through their five subsidiary companies: Bakx Foods, Q Smart Life, Gelderland Frischwaren, Henri van de Bilt and Vital Convenience. All of these firms have a history of nearly 6 decades of quality food products. They have marketed and sold a variety of convenience foods, snacks and deli meats both for businesses and retail customers. Baho Food has served clients from over 18 countries in Europe.

According to OSI Group President David G. McDonald, being able to add Baho Group will allow OSI Europe a wider presence in the region. This will not only allow a bigger portfolio or products and brands, this will also broaden the companies capabilities to serve the needs of its international customers.

Managing Director of Baho Food John Balvers will still be working with the company in conjunction with his management team. They will be corresponding with the OSI leaders to help in the implementation and future planning that will allow the merging companies to experience global success.

Other accomplishments of OSI Group

OSI Food Solutions in the United Kingdom was given the prestigious award called Globe of Honour last November 25, 2016. This award was given by the British Safety Council for their outstanding management of environmental hazards. This was given at the Awards luncheon in Draper’s Hall, London.

OSI Group was one of the few organizations globally that were given the Globe of Honour in 2016. They were distinguished as an organization who showed excellence in providing eco-friendly solutions in company management. To compete for the award, an organization must be able to have the maximum five stars being British Safety Council’s standard for auditing from August of 2015 to July of 2016. OSI Group was able to show to a panel of professionals how their company has made environmental guidelines in the whole meat production process.

Mike Robinson, the CEO of British Safety Council, gave the award to Kelly Grimwood, OSI’s Environmental Manager in Europe. Mr. Robinson believes that leadership plays a big role in an organization’s excellence achievement. He mentioned that as a leader, you can instill compliance, but inspiration is important to drive workers to strive for excellence. Mr. Robinson believes that the honorees are the best models for their industry.

Did you know that a high number of food retailors receive their food products from professional food providers? Yes, this is true and some of your favorite supermarkets are more than likely on the list. Food providers are in a rather unique type of industry, and this industry won’t be going out-of-business anytime soon. One of the leaders in this dynamic field is OSI Food Solutions. This Aurora-based company is one of the largest privately held companies in the U.S. To give you a better sense of its size, OSI Food Solutions has more than 20,000 staff members. These staff members span across 17 countries, and the countries host up to 65 facilities.

This company has had a meteoric-rise to the top of the food chain, no pun intended. The truth is that OSI opened its doors in 1909, and it only specialized in meat processing. At the time, it was called Otto & Sons. This family-owned and operated business did a wonderful job of providing its Illinois-based region with fresh beef. As word began to spread, it picked-up more and more customers. Otto & Sons transformed into a wholesale-food server because of its high demands. McDonald’s was one of its first high-profile clients, and the company retained its relationship with the hamburger chain by becoming one of McDonald’s four, major meat suppliers. As of today, OSI Food Solutions has built-up its resume by supplying food products for Pizza Hut, for Subway, for KFC, for Yum and for many more fast-food restaurants.

Another major reason for growth has come from acquisitions. By acquiring other businesses that relates to its actual business, OSI has been able to expand to unprecedented levels. In Chicago, the company acquired Tyson Foods plant, which was made-up of 450 employees. On top of that, the facility was an estimated 200,000 square-feet. OSI was also able to acquire stake in BAHO Food, which is a private-Dutch food provider. Strengthening its infrastructure was the goal, and it certainly achieved what it has set-out to do. In the end, OSI Food Solutions may go down as the top food service provider of all-time, but only time will tell.

When you think of great companies, there are an abundance of companies that will probably pop-up in your head. Have you ever heard of OSI Group? The chances of the average person that know about this company is rather slim, but this exclusive company has done some amazing things for society in general. OSI Group is a leader in custom-food production, and it has been at the top of the ranks for quite some time. Unlike other food providers, this company can handle other aspects of the business such as processing, management, sourcing and development. When you think about it, the entire gambit of operations is being covered.

The company is actually headquartered in Aurora, Illinois, but it has factories in numerous countries. This includes Poland, Germany, Ukraine, Germany, the Netherlands, Canada, Brazil, Austria, Hungary, China and Japan. Being a top 100 company isn’t easy, but OSI makes it look easy thanks to its supreme knowledge of food services, and its highly efficient staff. There are over 20,000 staff members that work under this huge umbrella, and these staff members are spread-out across 17 countries. The numbers are staggering to some degree and OSI Group is always on the look-out for ambitious people. Being so large, the company has numerous positions that need to be filled. In most cases, in order to make money means that you’ll need to spend money. OSI Group is no different as it has spent a whopping $7.4 million on Tyson Foods’ plant in Chicago, Illinois.

This specific plant is actually located near OSI’s other plants in the area. By acquiring Tyson’s, OSI Group will surely strengthen its infrastructure. The company has also held onto 250 of the 450 former-employees. As you can see, OSI Group is dominating the game in the most ethical ways. Though it does a great job of expansion by acquiring other businesses, it does its best to retain jobs, which keeps people employed.

The food industry is one of the most vibrant sectors in any society in the world. This is because people have to be satisfied if they are to be productive in whatever they do. There are many food businesses in the economy, but not all of them guarantee quality products and services to their clients. One of the few food companies that has earned itself the reputation it commands in the industry is OSI Group.

Initially, OSI Group Inc. started as a family business operated by Otto & Sons. The Otto Kolschowsky business specialized in meat related products. With the help of the financial expert, Mr. Sheldon Lavin, OSI Group by then Otto & Sons was able to venture into new markets and improve its operational actives, thanks to the readily available finances. Years later in the 1980’s, Mr. Lavin was able to acquire full ownership of the business after buying the majority shares in the business.

With Mr. Sheldon at the helm of leadership, OSI Group has been nothing short of excellence. The company has been able to make huge contributions and strides in the market. Despite lacking training and previous experience, Mr. Sheldon has been able to build himself and the company to its success. Currently, OSI Group is arguably the largest food business with reputation for not only having a large market coverage but also producing high-quality products.

Immediately after acquiring OSI Group, Mr. Sheldon Lavin focused his effort on growing the business. His efforts saw him procure state of the art meat processing equipment for their different processing plants. To guarantee quality results, these pieces of equipment are first put through quality checks to ensure that they are both effective and safe for use. OSI Group also concentrated business expansion endeavors on acquiring a number of food businesses to grow its network. In the recent past, the company acquired the Tyson Food business in Chicago. Such systems help the business grow and expand its operations to reach clients in different parts of the globe.

In addition to this, OSI Group has also expanded its number of employees. Growing a business into OSI Group’s reputation is not an easy task and requires the help of well trained and highly experienced employees. Sheldon Lavin, through OSI Group, has been able to embrace his employees as part of his large family thus motivating them well enough to guarantee positive outcomes in his business.